Cologne Reviews

Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin

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I received a bunch of cologne samples from Fragrancenet.com yesterday and as such there should be a flood of new fragrance reviews on this site. The first one I’m going to serve up is Lolita Lempicka Au Masculin. Lolita Lempicka is an extremely popular perfume for women and this is the men’s take on it.  So, without further introductory statements let’s just right into it here.

What does Lempicka Au Masulin Smell Like?

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Notes include: licorice, basil, wormwood, ivy, vanilla, violet, rum, tonka bean, sandalwood, praline, cedar, labdanum

My Full Review

The opening note is almost wholly dominated by the licorice note and if that’s not your thing then you may not like it. Usually, I’m indifferent towards the smell of licorice but it kind of became too much for me with Lolita Lempicka.

After about ten minutes or so the licorice gets muted a bit and the scent adds a layer of sweetness to it with the vanilla and makes the scent a whole lot more palatable.

Anise is also heavily present up top, along with wormwood and a general booziness from a touch of rum. The wormwood, anise, and licorice give it the absinthe aroma. So, absinthe and rum.

At this point the cologne is light, fresh, and warm plus utterly sweet. That might be my issue with this fragrance, it is too sweet for my tastes, which I usually enjoy.

The praline is the next in line for the gourmand side of things.. The licorice does tone down and this one becomes a fresher and powdery blend. Violet, which is hidden up top comes out along with the anise/basil spice and the woodier base notes.

That’s the ending for me. A fresh and spicy powder, surrounded by a whole lot of sweet.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The opening sprays here do pack a punch. Au Masculin hangs in the air, leaves a pretty far reaching trail in one’s wake.

But, it will gradually get lighter and lighter. The last few hours are a skin scent, consisting mostly of the woody notes. It’s still around, just not to a massive degree.

How long does it stick around? Somewhere around the 8-ish hour mark. It’s actually pretty darn good at this price point. Not a complete marathon runner fragrance, but it’s never quit too early for me.

Seasonally, you need to think colder to moderate temperatures. As such, I’d keep this Lolita Lempicka to autumn through early springtime. If it gets too warm, this one becomes pretty gross, in my opinion.

This is a youthful cologne, better for more casual use. It’s not one for formality or even school, with its absinthe and anise. The dry down fits in better, but I’d still go with something else for anything semi-formal and beyond.

Overall Impressions

I don’t hate this fragrance, though, I don’t particularly like it very much either. It’s just perhaps a bit too girly or sweet to make it something that I would wear all the time or on a semi-regular basis.

It has a candy-like profile but doesn’t have the same effect as a cologne of similar make up, such as Kouros Body. It gets compared to that other 2000 release in terms of style, but the YSL is much better.

On the plus side, it’s inexpensive, light, and is definitely a fragrance that is attractive to a lot of people. I am just not blown away by it and wasn’t feeling it in terms of my style. Wasn’t the worst sample size I got with this round, but it wasn’t the best either.

Update: Au Masculin seems to be discontinued. Bottles are now super expensive from what I’m seeing…aka not worth it. L’Heure Verte by Kilian is a lot like this one, but more tolerable. Less of the sweetness, more of the absinthe-like aroma. I would try that out, before grabbing Au Masculin.

Light Blue Sun Pour Homme by D&G

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I’ve been wanting to try out Light Blue Sun for a while now, but hadn’t been able to find a sample or decant. So, I just went ahead and paid $40 for a full bottle, in order to do a full review for the site. In this post, I will explore how it smells, how long this Dolce & Gabbana lasts, when it should be worn, and if it was worth buying.

What does Light Blue Sun Smell Like?

Notes include: ginger, frozen grapefruit, coconut, vetiver, bergamot, cedar, rosemary, and more

Click here to try: Light Blue Sun Pour Homme

My Full Wear Review

The first thing that I notice about Light Blue Sun, is the elements of Light Blue and Light Blue Intense that I can pick up about it. Sun is like a fragrance in the middle of those two. Not nearly as sharp and spicy as the original, but not as fresh and aquatic as Intense.

Sun kicks things off with the familiar grapefruit and bergamot, from the other two. What’s missing is the orange note, replaced by the soft ginger note. Instead of the aquatic aroma of Intense, this feels more like a breeze by the water.

Ozonic, but not a heavy dose of the sea.  Not really oceanic or salty, just a sense of being by the coast on a summer day.

Ginger is joined by rosemary, which is found in the original, but paired with that pepper note in Light Blue. Sun Pour Homme is much more subdued, it comes across as a fresh citrus, with a cooled aroma.

As it dries down, Sun starts to exude more of its woodsy notes, along with a noticeable musk. For me, much of the ginger is gone and I can pick up a hint of sweetness from coconut. That coconut, really isn’t a huge factor but I notice it.

The final stage for me is the remnants of the citrus notes, moss, musk, cedar, and the ozonic scent. Sun is smooth, slightly sweet, with a musky freshness. Yes, it is a good deal like the original Light Blue, but a lot more chill than either that or Eau Intense.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Is Light Blue Sun a powerhouse? Nope. It doesn’t have the same ability to project as either of the Light Blue colognes. Sun actually does fit that ‘Light’ name. On my skin, it isn’t a complete skin scent, but within 3-4 feet is about what its ultimate range is.

While it’s not a beast, the longevity isn’t bad. It has kept up in the 6-8 hour range for me. I’d say most of the time towards 6.5 hours. Not great, still useful for when I’ll be wearing this fragrance.

Seasonally, this is a relaxed summer scent. Warm weather or moderate and breezy nights. Casual wear or most other events for that season. It’s safe enough to wear to work. Also, this is an attractive cologne, that should be able to grab some attention and receive complements.

My Overall Impressions of Light Blue Sun

Overall, do I like Light Blue Sun? I do. My favorite from the Light Blue series was Eau Intense. But, this is right up there for me. It doesn’t have the same power (I wish it was more), but it is also toned down, and more wearable for many folks.

I bought a full bottle of Light Blue Sun, to test out, and my Eau Intense is all used up. As such, I guess this is going to be one of my summertime wears coming up. I’m perfectly fine with that. I like the opening act and how it takes different elements from the other entries in this series.

It’s not the most amazing fragrance out there, you’ve smelled most of what this is before if you’ve tried Light Blue, but it’ll give you a smoother experience.

Update: I’ve gone through most of the bottle over the past few years, since I originally posted this review. I still like it, even if I’m not as high on it anymore. Even with the newer ‘naturalistic’ grapefruit-centric Light Blue flankers, this is still my number two.

I do wear this a lot when it insanely hot outside during the summer. It’s one of those that actually holds up very well in that sort of environment. I’d wear it to the gym or hanging out on the coast. Light Blue Sun is worth a try if you can still get it for pretty cheap. I wouldn’t pay a ton for it, however.

Guerlain Homme EDT

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In my recent haul of samples, I got a hold of a sample spray vial of Guerlain Homme eau de toilette. I have been wearing this scent around for the past couple of days to see what it’s all about and how it holds up to my lifestyle. I have to say, I am definitely impressed with this cologne. Continue reading below for my full break down of this wonderful scent. Also check out: Best Guerlain Colognes

What does Guerlain Homme Smell Like?

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Notes include:  lime, rum, mint, cedar, vetiver, rhubarb, green tea bergamot, sugar, geranium

Click here to try: Guerlain Homme Eau de Toilette Spray, 1 Ounce

Guerlain Homme Written Review

Let me start off this review by saying, I love this cologne. Honestly, I think it is fantastic and will have a spot in my rotation for a long time. The highlight of this fragrance, is the mojito accord consisting of lime, rum, sugar, and mint notes.

Yes, the main accord is based on an alcoholic drink but when blended with these other notes, it really makes Guerlain stand out.

Guerlain Homme opens up with the juicy citrus notes of lime and bergamot. These two are paired with rum for an instantaneous boozy beginning. If you don’t like alcoholic notes in your fragrances, this is one you should avoid, but going with the mojito aroma was a very interesting choice in my mind.

Plenty of other colognes have used rum to a much darker and spicier effect (Bvlgari Man in Black), but going the tropical route is pretty cool.

The top of the fragrance is quite sweet, due to the sugar note, but is balanced by the mint, which provides a fresh upbeat spice that really shines when contrasted with the lime juice cleanliness. Still, gives off that summery vibe throughout the wear.

The sweet notes do not dominate this scent completely, however. It is anchored by the woodsy and green floral notes which add a masculine aura to this cologne.

Cedar is at the base and vetiver is also highly present during the dry down period. It becomes less citrus/sweet and more fresh/dry, though, the citrus notes are still the main attraction.

Guerlain has a definite fresh energy to it that dries down into a crisp, almost powdery fragrance, which will leave a man smelling clean throughout the day.

Longevity and Sillage

It’s longevity is good to very good in my experience with it. I could still smell it later in the day but it becomes a more subtle fragrance than the opening might suggest. Update: I have a full bottle I bought after testing this scent back in 2015, and it can definitely pull 7-8 hours, on my skin.

It, to me at least, has almost the perfect amount of projection throughout its stay on my skin. Guerlain doesn’t overpower but you won’t have to go completely overboard with the sprays either.

The notes are very good in the summertime, however, I believe that this is versatile enough to work in the winter time also. Update: I actually don’t like it much as a daytime summer wear (night sure). Actually, wore this quite a bit in the autumn months when I had a bottle. The green notes in this gives it a certain layered complexity which I feel will be greater during the colder months.

I actually enjoy wearing this casually at night, while socializing. It works well in the humidity of a summer night. Not always what I grab, during this time, but one I like to break out in order to change the pace.

Overall Impressions of Guerlain Homme

Would I recommend this scent? Absolutely. It’s a really great performer all around and a very seductive and clean scent, that is quite manly and attention grabbing.

Again, it isn’t going to be for everyone, seeing as not everybody will enjoy a mojito smell. However, it’s not a pure mojito all the way through, and there is plenty of woodsy freshness to admire as well.

This is one that I wear, once in a while, but really enjoy it when I’m in the mood. I like the minty smell, the booziness, the fresh woods. It’s a unique fragrance and is underappreciated.

Update: I no longer have a bottle and this one has been discontinued as well. It’s still worth trying, if you can find an inexpensive bottle. It once was one of my favorites to wear, but that changed as my collection grew with this site. Still, this was a very good effort from Guerlain.

Little Italy by Bond No. 9

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With my latest batch of samples, I grabbed a few more scents from the Bond No. 9 collection of fragrances. Today, I am going to be reviewing the unisex scent, Little Italy from this design house. As usual, I am going to cover how it smells, performs, what I like about it, and whether or not it is worth a purchase.

What does Little Italy by Bond No.9 Smell Like?

Notes include: mandarin, grapefruit, neroli, clementine, and musk

Click here to try: Bond No. 9 Little Italy by Bond No. 9 For Men And Women. Eau De Parfum Spray 3.3-Ounces

My Full Wear Review

So, Little Italy, starts out with a heavy dose of citrus provided by the mandarin orange. I really like the orange note in this fragrance, as many others have such a flat and uninspiring orange note in their scents, but this one is highly realistic and juicy.

Maybe it’s the addition of the clementine, giving it some extra support. Either way I find it enjoyable.

Right away, if you don’t like citrus, stay away from Bond No. 9’s Little Italy, because that is essentially what this consists of. It is a fairly linear scent, as after about 20-30 minutes the juiciness fades a bit, and their is a hint of neroli and musk.

Honestly, the floral and musk, isn’t that noticeable. I had to focus myself quite a lot, just to be able to detect it. Pretty much, what you smell initially, is what you’re going to get out of this.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

Projection wise, it’s decent. Thankfully, it’s not a monster in that regard, because I doubt anyone would want that intense of a fruit juice scent. It has all of the sillage that it needs to have.

It stays moderate for the first couple of hours before drawing down to its final close. Overall, not terrible.

The longevity is okay, I got maybe 4-5 hours out of the wear. Nothing special but certainly not incredibly awful. At this price point, it’s not great, however. I would definitely want more from Little Italy before grabbing a full bottle.

This is a casual scent for the warmer months. Not a date night scent or anything of the sort. I don’t think you would even wear it at work. So, it becomes pretty limited with its use case. Understand that going in. Spring and summertime, while just hanging about town.

Even though, it is a unisex fragrance, I don’t anyone of either sex would find this one to be ‘sexy’. It’s bright, upbeat, and quite pleasant in my opinion but not sexy.

That being said, this one does lean much more traditionally feminine. There are plenty of citrus and neroli scents out there with more balance, but this goes more toward a ladies’ perfume.

Overall Impressions of Little Italy

Overall, is Little Italy worth a buy? Not unless you really love orange and clementine. I do like this scent on some level and I think the orange note is very well done. However, it’s also quite expensive, and really simplistic.

The performance is just okay. The sillage isn’t bad, but the longevity is below average. I don’t hate it but it doesn’t strike me as something to run out and buy either.

Mandarin isn’t my favorite citrus note, it’s fine here. I do like the clementine which gives it somewhat of a unique vibe versus some others in this space. Not one of the best from Bond No. 9 and ultimately not particularly worth it.

Very Irresistible for Men by Givenchy

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Givenchy has a wide range of colognes for men that are stylish and memorable. I recently received a sample of one of their more popular fragrances, Very Irresistible.  I have worn this cologne a bit lately and would like to use this post in order to share my thoughts and give my opinion on this fairly unique scent.

What does Very Irresistible for Men Smell Like?

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Notes include: Hazelnut, coffee, mint, grapefruit, sesame, and cedar

My Full Wear Review

The first thing that strikes me about this fragrance is how rich and enveloping it is. To me, it’s a pretty heavy scent but not in a way that will choke those around you, though, I wouldn’t put a ton of it on.

What I detect most is the hazelnut and coffee notes, which is of course reminiscent of a hot cup of coffee in the morning. However, the mint note makes this take on a chocolatey/mocha scent that makes it fall into the gourmand category.

It is definitely a sweet cologne, yet, still retains a completely masculine vibe…probably aided by the woodsy cedar note. That rich and warm quality which I wrote about above really reminds me of Versace Eros. The two fragrances do not smell alike at all but I get that same kind of enveloping feeling with both of them.

The most interesting aspect of the notes to me is the emergence of the grapefruit and mint. I am a fan of mint notes in cologne, see: Guerlain (love it!) and Le Male. The mint in Very Irresistible is wholly different from those two fragrances, as it takes on a much more woodsy/green quality…but it makes this Givenchy scent really pop.

Sillage, Longevity, and Versatility

The opening does give you that bold and far reaching heaviness, that I wrote about. It tones down quite a lot after maybe 20 minutes of wear and is actually somewhat moderate once you get to that stage.

But, that opening is large enough to pull it firmly in the above average sillage camp.

The longevity was in the 6-7.5 hour range. Not bad, just never really hit a high level of performance. It’s about what you’d expect from this sort of designer cologne.

It’s such a dark and engaging fragrance that I believe it demands to be worn in the late fall and early wintertime. The sweetness, the greenness, and the gourmand aroma would really do well in that type of cooler environment.

It’s attractive enough for the nightlife and dates. I’d wear this out or more in casual situations versus trying to have it on in a professional setting.

My Overall Impressions 

With all that being said, would I recommend, Very Irresistible? I’d say that I would. However, I don’t think it is the right scent for everyone. I don’t feel that it is the right scent for me, I found it quite nice at first but after a while, I just couldn’t enjoy it anymore.

It’s just way too rich for my tastes. If you are a fan of the gourmand type of fragrance and love a sweet/green type of scent, I would say this is a very good bet. I love a lot of gourmand scents, but this one is just pretty good.

Updating this page years later, this Givenchy has been long discontinued. You can still track down bottles if you want to try it out. Which, it’d still need to be the right price, as anything above a certain point (maybe $50-60) would be overpaying for most guys.